GOV.UK blogs

New ‘all-in-one’ FASP handbook published

The newly updated handbook is now available in HTML format, making it easier to use and keep up to date.

GIAA Annual Report and Accounts 2020-21: Delivering Through Challenging Times

This week the GIAA laid it’s 2020-21 Annual Report and Accounts before Parliament. I invite you to take a moment to read through it. I am immensely proud of our organisation for all that we have achieved in the most …

COVID-19 vaccinations protect us all

COVID-19 vaccination has to be comprehensive to be truly effective as protection – particularly for those most vulnerable to infection. While the SAGE recommended levels of at least 80% of care home staff and 90% of residents have been reached and exceeded in many parts of England, regional variation persists.

Deborah Sturdy, our Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, explains why the Government, following wide consultation with the care sector, has taken the difficult decision to make vaccination a mandatory condition of deployment in care homes.

Why we are preparing for a worst-case scenario winter season

Alongside COVID-19 there remain other serious threats that stretch our health and social care services every year. Right now, to ensure we plan for these as well as for the continuing pandemic, our attention is on autumn and winter, ensuring we prepare for the challenges this will bring.

Automatically creating and rotating GOV.UK application secrets

How we reduced toil when managing infrastructure for 50 applications.

Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change at the Landscape Scale: a new £12.5m pilot programme

Natural habitats, such as peatlands, forests, saltmarsh and grasslands contain large amounts of carbon and will play an important part in reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions.  There are two aspects to this: stopping emissions from damaged habitats and starting …

NHS pay review announcement - key questions and guidance

Information on DHSC's announcement that all NHS staff within scope of the pay review will receive a 3% pay uplift.  Independent pay review process The NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB) and Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB) are composed …

Chair’s stakeholder message - welcoming the National Food Strategy

Our new Chair Susan Jebb takes over this edition of the FSA’s stakeholder update to discuss the National Food Strategy and delivering on the government’s vision for food policy.

Bridging the language gap when working with new people

Senior service designer Martin Price shares how he worked with stakeholders to identify and then bridge language gaps at the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Returns, Deportation and Charter Flights Factsheet

The purpose of this factsheet is to provide information to explain the deportation process, use of charter flights and the checks and balances in the system to ensure our work is carried out both fairly and in accordance with the …

Going further to support intimidated witnesses

Witnesses may face difficulty when required to present evidence at trial. After a successful pilot of special measures to protect vulnerable witnesses, HMCTS is rolling out section 28 across England and Wales to allow witnesses to pre-record their cross examination and preserve the course of justice.

Modernising lasting powers of attorney – safer, simpler and fit for the future 

This week the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), in collaboration with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), published a consultation on plans for how lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) can be modernised.   Our modernising LPA project aims to improve the process of making and …

New inherited metabolic disease (IMD) information leaflets have been published on GOV.UK

PHE has public information leaflets for all NBS conditions, including the IMDs, to support parents throughout screening and diagnosis.

Exploring the role of data intermediaries in supporting responsible data sharing

At the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI), we aim to drive trustworthy innovation in data and data-driven technologies, including AI. Exploring, developing, and promoting mechanisms for supporting responsible data access and sharing across the economy is therefore a …

Everything you need to know about The Queen's Awards for Enterprise

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious awards for UK businesses and is a globally recognised royal seal of approval for UK companies.

Biodiversity Metric 3.0 – a milestone moment for biodiversity net gain

Publishing Biodiversity Metric 3.0 was a landmark moment for biodiversity net gain, it will become the metric used to calculate and evidence whether a project has achieved the biodiversity net gain requirements set out in the Environment Bill. Biodiversity Net …

Reshaping health and care with data

Matthew Gould, CEO of NHSX and Michelle Dyson, Director General for Adult Social Care at DHSC set out what the Government's Health and Social Care Data Strategy means for the adult social care sector.

Complex and challenging: why land registration takes time to master

Our caseworkers need to learn and keep pace with changes in the law, practice and systems – there are no shortcuts to building land registration expertise.

Windrush Compensation Scheme factsheet - July 2021

Windrush Compensation Scheme factsheet - July 2021 The Windrush generation were wronged by successive governments. To help right those wrongs, the Home Office has put in place a range of initiatives. Windrush Compensation Scheme The Windrush Compensation Scheme was launched …

Engineers in Leadership: Talking with Alison Baptiste, CBE

On International Women in Engineering Day - on June 23rd - the GSE Diversity and Inclusion Action Group and the Engineering in Policy network spoke with Alison Baptiste about being an engineer. Alison is Director of Public and Security Services …

From academic research to user research – 6 months in the Apprenticeship Service

User researcher, Dan Clayton, talks about his transition from academic research to user research in the apprenticeship service, and how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted how he works with colleagues and gathers research from users.

The scope of the Better Regulation Framework

RPC Chair Stephen Gibson comments on the current exemptions to the Better Regulation Framework and how they might change.

Excellent new video underlines importance of attending NHS diabetic eye screening

A new short film emphasises the importance of attending regular diabetic eye screening (DES) for everyone living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

How we’re making it easier to design, test and publish forms at MoJ

When the child funeral fund team were given just 6 weeks to launch a service, they turned to a new platform called Form Builder. They needed to move fast, iterate quickly, and didn’t have the time or resources to work …

Managing flood risk in the face of a changing climate

Climate change is happening now Julie Foley, Director of Flood Risk Strategy & National Adaptation, Environment Agency The kinds of extreme climatic events experienced in Germany and the Low Countries this July, leading to devastating flooding, is sadly likely to …

govcookiecutter: A template for data science projects

Read how the govcookiecutter helps government data science teams save time and effort when building assured, robust, and secure Agile data science projects.

Meet the Top Team

Every Prime Minister has an indispensable backroom team. Gosia McBride on what it's like working in the Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat on the PM’s top priorities and seeing your work make headlines? First In Family To Go To University  …

How the reception baseline assessment will be a fairer progress measure and give teachers more recognition

Claire Harnden, Deputy CEO at South Farnham Educational Trust, shares her experiences of introducing the reception baseline assessment in her schools.

The lead up to results days

Emma Booth reflects on the teacher assessed grades process and how teachers have worked tirelessly to ensure the best possible outcomes for their students this summer.

Step 4: What’s changed in early years, schools, colleges and universities?

Today (Monday 19 July), the country moved to Step 4 of the Government’s roadmap and further restrictions were lifted.

Closing the loop on your feedback (Part Two)

In my last blog, I gave you an insight into how we close the loop on your feedback and explained why it’s so important for our customers to continue to provide us with their feedback so we can continue to …

Putting staff wellbeing at the centre of recovery plans

Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, explains how supporting the health and wellbeing of staff will be a key priority as we move towards recovering NHS services.

How to have the BEST SUMMER EVER!

Civil Service Live speaker, author, trainer and learning junkie Andy Cope shares a few timely tips how to squeeze the most of out of your summer. Your 2020 foreign trip was rolled over until this summer. Now you’ve had to …

Consultation launched on extending ivory ban to other species

In today’s blog, we look at the launch of a consultation on extending our ivory ban to other species

Planning insolvency strategies for a post-pandemic economy

Read about our call for papers and the plans for our upcoming conference on insolvency strategies for a post-pandemic economy.

Talking, thinking and learning about digital accessibility and inclusion

HMRC reflect and share key learnings taken from Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2021 events.

Flooding in Europe

We look into coverage following the catastrophic flooding that has brought devastation to multiple regions across western Germany and neighbouring countries in Europe.

A letter to school staff from Children and Families Minister Vicky Ford

This week Children and Families Minister Vicky Ford wrote to school staff to thank them for all they've done over the last school year and through the pandemic as a whole. She also set out some of the resources available …

Do you have a nature hero? How children and young people can #PlantForOurPlanet

Playing in the local park, helping water the garden plants or picking home-grown strawberries – green spaces and gardens have brought sheer joy to children’s and families lives during some of the most difficult months our country has ever known.

What catch-up activities are available for children over the summer holidays

We know it’s been a hard year for everyone. This summer we want children and young people to take part in fun activities to get moving and learning, to help them get off to a flying start for the next …